As many of you know I have taken the more expensive (not by choice)
route using an AT&T SIM chip in a GSM cellphone in Europe. I forward my
office calls to my cellphone and while I have used a CDMA phone in the
US, I also have a SIM chip from AT&T for use in a GSM phone in Europe. I
got the GSM phone as a hand-me-down from a UK friend. The result is that
if you call my US office while I am in Europe, then the call is
seamlessly forwarded to the GSM phone for me to answer. It is a question
of being available to clients who expect me to be there and my idea of
service while taking time out to enjoy travel. For years I have had two
phones, the CDMA for use in the US and the GSM for use in Europe. Now,
however, AT&T Wireless (soon to be Cingular) has converted its US system
to GSM. I recently converted my service over to AT&T's GSM US service
and I am using a US tri-band cellphone. Now instead of taking two phones
to Europe (we needed the CDMA phone to call the limo service upon our
return) I can carry one cellphone which will work both in the US and
Europe. Don't smirk; Boston's Logan is going to $50 per day parking and
the limo service is only $50 each way.

If you do not have to be connected as I think I have to be, then get an
unlocked GSM phone on eBay and then go buy a pre-paid SIM chip. Unlocked
is key. It allows you to use any pre-paid SIM chip and connect with
virtually any service in Europe.

Finally since we are on cellphones, my new cellphone is Bluetoothed
equipped. That is a great feature. I can download my calendar and
address book to it from my PC. The feature I like best, however, is that
I have a JABRA Bluetooth headset. There are others. As long as the phone
is within 30 feet, it will answer automatically to my earpiece. There
are no wires. It was always a pain in the neck driving in the UK having
the earpiece plugged in via a wire to the phone. The wire would
inevitably get wrapped around the shift and pull out as I went through
the gears. Now the phone sits in my pocket, the earset on my ear and I
can simply say, "Hello" when the phone rings (it answers automatically).
While your companions may view it as strange, Europeans do not. They are
more cellphone savvy than most Americans I have met.

Finally finally, you are on vacation. Shut off the phone. Let the
messages go to an answering machine. You can always poll your answering
machine from anywhere there is a telephone. Enjoy the trip and relax.
Civilization as we know it will not collapse if you are out of touch for
a couple of weeks or months. And when you return you can take pleasure
in answering the question. "What? Have you been out of the country for
the last two weeks?" with a smile and a "Why, as a matter of fact, yes."